Free Radicals and Oxidative Stress
What are free radicals? Technically, free radicals are atoms with one electron as opposed to the normal two electrons in their outer shell. Being reactive and unstable they seek another electron to become stable. A free radical grabs an electron from an adjacent atom, therby meeting its own electron need but damaging the neighboring atom and in turn creating a new free radical. When enough atoms become damaged from this chain reaction, the molecule that contains them becomes damaged. These free radicals attack DNA which in turn can lead to cellular dysfunction, mutation and cancer. When they attack enzymes and...